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War And Social Life In Prehispanic Peru: Ritual, Defense, And Communities At The Fortress Of Acaray, Huaura Valley, Margaret Brown Vega

Margaret Brown Vega

This is a study of ritual, war, and how those frame the construction of communities. Excavations at the fortress of Acaray in the Huaura Valley, Perú yielded evidence for conflict and ritual activities associated with two major time periods: the Early Horizon (ca. 900-200 B.C.) and the Late Intermediate Period (ca. A.D. 1000-1476). Using site survey and excavation data, a geographic information system to perform spatial analysis, and data on regional contexts this study demonstrates that Acaray was simultaneously a place constructed with defense in mind, and a locale for ritual activities linked to the strengthening of social bonds and …